Distilling and condensing apparatus



' Oct. 22, 1935. v F. J. ALLEN 2,013,049

DIS TILLING' AND CONDENSING API ARATUS Filed March 26, 1934 171025 FIG 4 12 I 3nventor jzeioze/c/mf ALLA-7) Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISTILLING AND CONDENSING APPARATUS Frederick J. Allen, San Diego, Calif. Application March 26, 1934, Serial No. 717,459

12 Claims.

Second, to provide an apparatus of this class 10, in which the entire process takes place in a closed system free from air or other contamination and is continuous of operation;

Third, to provide an apparatus of this class which will distil liquids and condense parts of '15 the same and which is operative over a wide range of temperature and capable of accurate control so as to prevent undesirable physical and chemical changes;

Fourth, to provide an apparatus of this class -20 which is continuous in its operation and which incorporates a condensing chamber and a heating chamber arranged in parallel in the same circulatory system so that the vapor from the substance undergoing treatment is divided to 25 pass through these means and reunited until the condensed or distilled products have been withdrawn, and

Fifth, to provide an apparatus of this class which is particularly eflicient and economical of 30 operation and which offers only a minimum cause of contamination and physical abuse of the product by foreign contact.

With these and'other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my'invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in-the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the 40 characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of the apparatus taken through I--l of Fig. 3; Fig. 2 is another, transverse sectional view thereof tak- 45 en through 2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof through 3-3 of Fig. 1

with parts and portions in elevation, and Fig. 4

is a longitudinal sectional view through l -4 of Fig. 1 with parts and portions shown in eleva 50 tion.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawing. M

Chamber l, spray means 2, head 3, heater 4,

55 cooler 5, refrigerating unit 5, expansion valve 1,

, condensing apparatus.

collection sump 8, conduit 9, blower l0, pumps l2 and I3, and pipe l4, constitute the principal parts and portions of my novel distilling and A mixing chamber I is provided which is in the 5 form of an elongated upright cylinder of any desired length. At any suitable point the mixing chamber is intersected by a spray means 2 which extends therein to the central portion of the chamber and is directed downward. The spray means is provided with a plurality of small orifices from which the substance to undergo treatment is discharged at a mere nominal pressure. A head 3 is provided at the upper end of the mixing chamber which extends laterally therefrom forming two partially circular lobes 3a and 3b. The lobe 3a forms the head of a heater 4,

while the lobe 31) forms the head of -a cooler 5. The heater 4 comprises a cylindrical shell 4a extending downwardly from the lobe 3a in which are mounted a plurality of tubes 41). The tubes are supported in an end plate 40 forming the bottom wall of the lobe 3a. The lower ends of the tubes pierce a bottom plate 4d so that the interior of the several tubes communicate with the head 3 but do not communicate with the remaining space formed within the shell 4a The cooler 5 is constructed identically. That is, said cooler comprises. an outer shell 5a, a series of tubes 5b, a head plate 50, and a bottom plate 5d. The heater 4 is provided with an intake 4e leading from a compressor of a conventional refrigerating unit 6. Said intake communicates with the portion of the heater surrounding the tubes 4b. Near its upper end the heater is provided with an outlet which communicates with an expansion valve 1 which in turn communicates with the shell 5a of the cooler 5. Said cooler is provided with an outlet 5e which leads to the above-mentioned compressor. The heater and coolerform respectively the condenser and expansion chambers of a refrigerating system incorporating the refrigerating unit. That is, the heater functions to cool the compressed refrigerant transferring the heat to the vapor of the 5 substance undergoing treatment and passing through the tubes 4b, while the cooled refrigerant absorbs heat from that portion of the vapor V passing through the tubes 5b of the cooler 5.

The tubes 5b discharge into a collection sump.8. Said sump is intersected at a point well above its lower end by a conduit 9 which also connectswith the lower end of the heater 4. The conduit leads herefrom to an intake of a blower l0 mounted below the mixing chamber I, as shown in Fig. 3. The blower l discharges into. the mixing chamber thereby causing the vapor of the substance undergoing treatment to circulate and re-circulate upwardly through the mixing chamber and downwardly simultaneously through the heater and cooler.

The blower is driven by any suitable conventional means. In addition to the blower there is provided a pump 12 in the sump 8. Also, the bottom of the mixing chamber I forms a sump portion la in which is mounted a pump l3. These pumps may be in the form of gear pumpsand are arranged to withdraw distilled vapors from the sump 8 and the condensed substance from the sump portion la.

If it is desired to operate the apparatus in such a manner that the substance undergoing treatment is subjected to a partial vacuum, at some point in the system a pipe I4 is provided which leads to a suitable vacuum pump designed to maintain the desired sub-normal pressure, or one or both of the pumps l2 or l3 may be utilized for this purpose.

Operation of my apparatus is essentially as follows: To begin operation the blower l0, pumps l2 and I3 and refrigerating unit 6 are started. The substance to betreated in a liquid form is brought to the desired temperature then intro duced through the spray means 2 so as to fall gently in the mixing chamber l. The rate at which the product is admitted is the controlling factor of the extent of distillation or condensation since the capacity of the heat transit or circulation will be constant for a given machine. That is, when the liquid is admitted relatively slowly the condensed product will be made more concentrated, and when the liquid is admitted relatively fast only the more highly volatile portions of the liquid will be distilled.

Whatever substance constitutes the gaseous content of the system flows upward through the chamber I by the action of the blower then divides and flows downward through the heater and the cooler and returns to the blower to again flow upward in the chamber I. As the apparatus operates vapors from the liquid undergoing treatment are carried to the head 3 and divide as they flow down through the heater and cooler. The portion flowing through the cooler distils out in part and collects in the sump 8. The portion of vapor flowing down through the heater is raised in temperature. The remaining vapor from the cooler and the heated vapor from the heater mix in the conduit 9 and blower In so that the resulting vapor is capable of absorbing more moisture as it flows .up through the chamber l and consequently draws off additional moisture from the liquid undergoing treatment. The condensed concentrated portion of the liquid is collected in the sump portion la and is withdrawn by the pump l3, while the more volatile distilled liquid collected in the sump 8 is withdrawn by the pump it.

If it is desired to operate the apparatus with a partial vacuum within the same, the vacuum pump associated with the pipe I4 is set into 0peration along with the blower and pumps. The purpose of creating a partial vacuum is to permit ready vaporization or boiling of the substance undergoing treatment at the most suitable temperature, the greater the vacuum, the lower the temperature at which the substance may be introduced.

If desired the mixing chamber, heater and cooler, etc., may be encased in a suitable insulating cover, which has been omitted to simplify the illustration.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement 01 parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction. combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims. 10

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a distilling and condensing apparatus, a mixing chamber, a heating chamber, and. a cooling chamber all in adjacent vertical alinement, the heating and cooling chambers connected together side by side and communicating with said mixing chamber at their upper and lower ends.

2. In a distilling and condensing apparatus, a mixing chamber, a heating chamber, and a cooling chamber all in adjacent vertical alinement, the heating and cooling chambers connected together side by side and connnunicating with said mixing chamber at their upper and lower ends, means for introducing substances in spray form for treatment into said mixing chamber, a first collection means associated with said mixing chamber at its lower end, and a second collection means associated with said cooling chamber.

3. In a distilling and condensing apparatus, a mixing chamber, a heating chamber, and a cooling chamber all in adjacent vertical alinement, the heating and cooling chambers connected together side by side and communicating with said mixing chamber at their upper and lower ends, and means for heating said heating chamber and cooling said cooling chamber.

4. In a distilling and condensing apparatus, a mixing chamber, a heating chamber, and a cooling chamber all in adjacent vertical alinement, the heating and cooling chambers connected together side by side and communicating with said mixing chamber at their upper and lower ends,

a jacket for the heating chamber and cooling chamber, a conduit and expansion valve therein communicating between said jackets, and a refrigerant circulating means associated with said jackets whereby said jacketsform condensing and expansion elements of a refrigeration system. 30

5. In a distilling and condensing apparatus, a mixing chamber, a heating chamber, and a cooling chamber all in adjacent vertical alinement, the heating and cooling chambers connected together side by side and communicating with said mixing chamber at their upper and lower ends, means for heating said heating chamber and cooling said cooling chamber, means for introducing substances for treatment into said mixing chamber, a first collection sump means in said mixing chamber at its lower end, and a second collection sump means in said cooling chamber.

6. In a distilling and condensing apparatus, a mixing chamber, a heating chamber, and a cooling chamber all in adjacent vertical alinement, the heating and cooling chambers connected together side by side and communicating with said mixing chamber at their upper and lower ends, a jacket for the heating chamber and cooling chamber, a conduit and expansion valve therein communicating between said jackets, and a refrigerant circulating means associated with said jackets whereby said jackets form condensing and expansion elements of a refrigeration system, means for introducing substances spray I6 form for treatment into said mixing chamber, a first collection sump means in said mixing chamber at its lower end, and a second collection sump means in said cooling chamber at its lower end.

'7. In a distilling and condensing apparatus, a mixing chamber, a heating chamber, and a cooling chamber all in adjacent vertical alinement, the heating and cooling chambers connected together side by side and communicating with said mixing chamber, a blower interposed between the receiving end of said mixing chamber and the outlet ends of the other chambers, whereby vapors of a substance undergoing treatment is divided to flow simultaneously through the heating and cooling chambers and re-mix upon entering the mixing chamber.

8. In a distilling and condensing apparatus, a

mixing chamber, a heating chamber, and a cooling chamber all in adjacent vertical alinement, the heating and cooling chambers connected together side by side and communicating with said mixing chamber, a blower interposed between the receiving end of said mixing chamber and the outlet ends of the other chambers, whereby vapors of a substance undergoing treatment is divided to flow simultaneously through the heating and cooling chambers and re-mix upon-entering the mixing chamber, and means for heating the heating chamber and cooling the cooling member.

9. In a distilling and condensing apparatus, a mixing chamber, a heating chamber, and a cooling chamber all in adjacent vertical alinement, the heating and cooling chambers connected together side by side and communicating with said mixing chamber, means for introducing substances spray form for treatment into said mixingchamber, a blower interposed between the receiving end of said mixing chamber and the outlet ends of the other chambers, whereby vapors of a substance undergoing treatment is divided to flow simultaneously through the heating and cooling chambers and re-mix upon entering the mixing chamber, a first collection sump means in said mixing chamber at its lower end, and a second collection sump means in said cooling chamber at its lower end.

10. In a distilling and condensing apparatus, a mixing chamber, a heating chamber, and a cooling chamber all in adjacent vertical alinement, the heating and cooling chambers connected together side by side and communicating with said mixing chamber, means for introducing substances in spray form for treatment into said mixing chamber, a blower interposed between the receiving end of said mixing chamber and the outlet ends of the other chambers, whereby vapors from a substance undergoing treatment is divided to flow simultaneously through the heating and cooling chambers and re-mix upon entering the mixing chamber, a jacket for the heating cham her and for the cooling chamber, a conduit and expansion valve therein communicating between said jackets, and a refrigerant circulating means associated with said jacket whereby said jackets form condenser and expansion elements of a refrigeration system, a first collection sump means in said mixing chamber at its lower end, and a second collection sump means in said cooling 12. In a distilling and condensing apparatus, a mixing chamber, a heating chamber, and a cool-''' ing chamber all in adjacent vertical alinement, the heating and cooling chambers connected together side by side and communicating with said mixing chamber, means for introducing substances for treatment into said mixing chamber, a blower interposed between the receiving end of said mixing chamber and the outlet ends of the other chambers, whereby vapors from a substance undergoing treatment is divided to flow simultaneously through the heating and cooling cham bers and re-mix upon entering the mixing chamber, a jacket for the heating chamber and for the cooling chamber, a conduit and expansion valve therein communicating between said jackets, and

a refrigerant circulating means associated with said jacket whereby said jackets form condenser and expansion elements of a refrigeration system, a first collection sump means in said mixing chamber at its lower end, and a second collection sump means in said cooling chamber at its lower end, and vacuum means for maintaining a predetermined sub-atmospheric pressure within said chambers.

FREDERICK J. ALLEN. 

